Strangers ignore teacher's pleas for help after horrific fall breaks ankle bones

26 April 2023 , 12:49

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Suzanne Reeve, from Hooe, did not have her mobile phone with her during the walk on September 9 last year (Image: BASICS Devon)

A Plymouth teacher has thanked a volunteer medic who came to her rescue after she fell on a dog walk and became "distressed" after being ignored by fellow walkers. Suzanne Reeve, from Hooe, did not have her mobile phone with her during the walk on September 9 last year.

Suzanne's fall caused serious injuries. At the time, she thought she had a broken arm, but after trying to push herself up, she quickly realised she had "broken every single bone" in her ankle. As a result, Suzanne could not move.

She had broken her arm and her ankle was at 140 degrees facing her with a splintered bone. Adrenaline took hold and Suzanne put a splint on her own ankle using her shoelace and some sticks. “I quickly put the splints together and then wrapped my ankle, which I had to obviously twist back.”

She says she was laid in the woods for approximately 15 minutes and two walkers passed by, but devastatingly ignored her. This caused her to become distressed.

Suzanne said: "A gentleman came from the left-hand side of the path. I said excuse me can you please help me, I've broken my ankle and my arm. He literally walked off, which is really quite upsetting."

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She then waited another 10 minutes for another man to walk by. "I called out and said I've broken my ankle and my wrist, could you please get help for me and he then walked off. That was the first time that I cried. I just thought there's two people that have come near me and literally walked off and left me. Something that I would have never thought anyone would actually do."

After a further 10 minutes, Suzanne was panicking. "I was incredibly lucky," she told PlymouthLive. "An older lady walked by and she came towards me. What an amazing lady."

The lady tried to help Suzanne up, but was unable to lift her. She then went to Suzanne’s home to alert her partner Darren.

Meanwhile, BASICS Devon volunteer immediate care Dr Anthony Golding-Cook, a Plymouth area responder, saw the case on the Ambulance system after work and attended the incident. Tony arrived first on the scene.

He eventually found Suzanne in the woods, a difficult location, being pulled along by Darren in a beach trolley, but stuck due to rough terrain. Tony treated Suzanne at the scene, assessing her injuries and was able to administer vital specialist pain relief.

Tony said: “I was just amazed that Suzanne had done such a fantastic job at splinting her ankle, which must have been absolute agony.” He stayed with her in the dark until the ambulance arrived.

Suzanne said: “I was incredibly lucky because Tony came along and without Tony, I really don’t think I would have been able to get through it. I have an awful lot of thanks to Tony for everything that he did.”

Ambulance demand is under increased pressure, and BASICS Devon aims to support the South Western Ambulance Service in the care for critically injured patients. Year on year, the charity callout figures have grown by approximately 10%.

BASICS Devon helps reduce response times and, for many emergencies, is able to stand down the ambulance response, relieving pressures on the NHS. Being on the ground in our local communities, BASICS Devon can be fast to the scene in all weather conditions and at night, and likely to arrive first. As a team of specialist voluntary doctors, there is no equivalent in Devon.

All hold advanced qualifications in pre-hospital emergency medical and trauma. The doctors are senior decision-makers and carry enhanced pain relief, sedative drugs, and specialist equipment. They are also trained to undertake a number of specialist life-saving surgical procedures.